Tax Set-Aside Calculator
the number that stops April from hurtingNobody withholds tax from a creator payout. You are the payroll department. Put in what you earn and this tells you what percentage to move into a separate account every single time you get paid — and what your four quarterly payments look like.
Most subscription platforms take 20%. Use yours.
Gear, software, content costs, home-office share.
Your effective rate on this income, not your bracket. 10–12% is typical up to ~$60k profit; 15–22% above that.
0 in NV, TX, FL, WA, WY, SD, TN, AK, NH. Otherwise your state's rate on this income.
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The 12.4% Social Security part of self-employment tax stops at this amount of profit each year. The IRS updates it every year — check the current figure if you earn near it.
Pay at irs.gov/payments → "Estimated tax". If a due date falls on a weekend or holiday it moves to the next business day. Your state may want its own quarterly payments too.
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This is an estimate for planning, not tax advice. It uses the 15.3% self-employment rate on 92.35% of net profit, the half-of-SE-tax deduction, and the effective rates you enter; it does not model the standard deduction, the QBI deduction, credits, or other income. Real numbers depend on your full situation — confirm with a CPA who works with creators. Read the creator tax guide and what your 1099 means.
Why does the percentage come out higher than my tax bracket?
Because self-employment tax sits on top of income tax. As an independent creator you pay both halves of Social Security and Medicare — 15.3% on roughly 92.35% of your net profit — before income tax is calculated at all. That is the part that surprises people in their first year.
What counts as a business expense?
Costs that are ordinary and necessary for the work: gear, lighting, software subscriptions, props and wardrobe used only for content, platform fees, a reasonable share of your internet, and a home-office portion if a space is used regularly and exclusively for work. Keep receipts; the deduction is only as good as your records.
When are quarterly payments actually due?
The usual federal dates are April 15, June 15, September 15 and January 15 for the previous year's final quarter. If a date lands on a weekend or holiday it moves to the next business day. Your state may run its own schedule.
What happens if I just skip the quarterly payments?
The IRS can charge an underpayment penalty even if you pay the full amount in April. It is calculated like interest on what you should have paid along the way, so the earlier you start, the smaller it is.
Is this a substitute for an accountant?
No. It is a planning estimate so the number stops being a mystery. A CPA who works with creators will find deductions and elections — like an S-corp election once profit is consistently high — that a calculator cannot.